$35,000 worth of meth seized in arrest of two alleged major drug offenders

A name that’s been on their radar since Chief Tony Coury and Sheriff Matt Lutz began their law enforcement careers in Muskingum County nearly three decades ago is now in jail after the city and county’s joint drug unit confiscated two pounds of methamphetamine.

“We just look back now and smile and know that we’re probably not going to see them guys again as law enforcement officers,” said Coury. “They won’t be back before we retire.”

Zanesville’s Terry Bocook, 39, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 30 for major drug-related charges at his Lexington Avenue home.

“When we say there’s a specification of a major drug offender attached, we mean this one, for sure,” said Lutz.

Bocook is charged with one first-degree felony count of trafficking in drugs with a major drug offender specification and another first-degree felony count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity — both charges are with major drug offender specifications. Bocook is also charged with the third-degree felony of money laundering.

If convicted on all charges, Bocook faces 11 to 25 years in prison. Currently Bocook is in the Muskingum County Jail on a $1 million bond.

Drug unit officers seized two pounds of meth in relation to the arrests of Bocook and Yanni.

The same day of Bocook’s arrest, the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force arrested a Columbus man on Route 40 in Brownsville. Michel Yanni, 41, is now charged as a major drug offender following his arrest.

Yanni, who is from Columbus, was charged with trafficking in drugs, a first-degree felony. He also faces a fifth-degree felony charge of permitting drug abuse.

With his charges, Yanni’s sentence upon conviction would be 11 to 12 years in prison.

Yanni is being held in the Zanesville City Jail on a $1 million bond.

According to a media release, the two pounds of methamphetamine seized in the arrests have the combined street value of approximately $35,000.

Authorities were unable to comment about how and if the cases are related.